Backing device for the buttons of garments



'M. I. F. KINNEY BACKING DEVICE FOR THE BUTTONS OF GARMENT-3 Aug. 14, 1928; 1,680,623

Filed May 19, 1927 Patented Aug. 14, 1928.

MAUDE I. r x NNEY, orrnoniA, ILLINOIS.

' BACKING DEVICE FOR THE BUTTONS OF GARMENTS.

Application filed May 19, 1927. Serial No. 192,528. a

The present invention relates to a device for, use in assisting in securing a button upon a garment.

More particularly the invention pertains to a member of novel form and construction used in conjunction with and used as a backing for a button for preventing the latter being tornofi' together with part of the material of a garment to which the button is attached. r

The main object is to provide a device as a backing for a button, therefore, to prevent damage to the garment and preventing the button being detached. A

Another object is to provide as a backing for a button, a device of such form that the act of sewing said button and device to a garment will result in firmly securing a considerable area of the garment between the two.

Still another object is that of providing a device for the purpose named that will so clamp and hold thematerial of a garment as to prevent such material being torn or damaged inany way.

To the end that my invention may be fully understood I have provided the accompanying drawing showing a preferred form of such invention, wherein.

Figure 1 is a plan of whatmay be termed the outer or exposed side of the device of my invention very much enlarged.

Figure 2 is a transverse section of the same produced online'22, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is also a transverse section of the device produced on, line 3- 3 of said Figure 1. v

' Figure 4 is a lan of the inner side of the device, or that side thereof that lies against material of the the garment.

Figure5 is a similar view showing a modified form of its surface.

Figure 6 is a transverse section of a portion of what is shown in Figure 5 produced on line'6-6 of the last named figure, and

Figure 7 is a transverse section of-a button, the device of my invention, andnthe material of a "garment showing the relation thereof. I

It is not new to provide a member for backing a button by sewing both upon a garment, yet as usually provided such a member does not answer as does the device of my invention to be described herein, since whether it be a button, as is sometimes used, or a member of a specialform, injury to the .terial between has a concave under include a series of fabric and threads result-s so that the fabric is weakened, the button and backing eventually tearing out.

' Quite often, as is well known, a jerk upon a button such as to pull if off often results in tearing a section of the material bodily from the garment and it is my design to produce a form of device that will in a great measure prevent or entirely prevent such an occurrence when the button is thus jerked. That is to say, my aim is to so grip the mathe button and, the entire surface ofthe device as to firmly hold the material over a Wide area or the area covered by such device, it being understood that the larger the surface protected the more difficult it is to tear out the material by a jerk on the button. And that the portion covered shall be thus prevented beinginjured or torn the backing device throughout must be firmly clamped upon it.

'In the said drawing 1 designates as. a whole the device of my invention. It includes a substantially flat ring 2 having a central bridging portion 3,both of which are of aspecial form. The portion 2 preferably surface, Figures 2 and 3, or that surface designed to lie upon the material of the garment. In the figures just named it will be observed that the said under or material engaging surface is relieved or undercut from the outer edge of the ring toward its inner edge, and said surface may concentric projecting shoulders 4, each succeeding shoulder as it recedes from the outer edge of the ring being spaced a greater distance from the plane of the said outer edge of the ring, these shoulders being shown in Figure 4. The ring is preferably a stamping and may that I may otherwiseroughen the surface For example, in Figures 5 and 6 thesurface may be provided with teeth 5 which may have a parallel arrangement or may otherwise be produced for providing the desired roughened medium In Figures 2 and 3 it will be observed that the bridging portion or cross-bar 3 is spaced from the concave or material engagbe shaped in other Ways but 1n any event a ing side of the ring 2 for a urpose to be made known. Also it is preferably of an irregular or zig-zag form by providing alternate recesses 6 and outwardly curved portions 6 throughout the greater part of its length.

Figure 7 illustrates the relative positions of the button 7 to be attached, the material 8 of the garment, and the device of my invention. Said device, as may be seen, lies with its concave side upon the material, the threads 9 which secure the button in place being sewed through the latter and around the bridging portion 3. Since the concave side of the ring lies upon the material and the bridging portion 3 is spaced from the plane of the ring and lies farthest from the material, the

threads when tightly drawn in the sewing operation causes the outer edge of the ring to be forced into the material as are also the projecting concentric shoulders, or the teeth 5, as the case may be. In either event an area of the material is clamped equal to that of the ring and frictional engagement of the ring therewith firmly clamps itto the button. A considerable area of the material is thus covered and it is clear that it would be practically impossible by a pull or jerk on the button to tear away such a large amount of material as is covered by the device. Especially when the roughened surface is employed it is clear that every portion of the covered material will be gripped so that the threads or fibers thus held cannot be strained or broken as may happen where a close clamping does not occur as in older form of backing.

The corners of the ring at its periphery where it engages the material are rounded so that the material is not cut or abraded, and the bridging portion 3 is rounded as shown in Figure 3 to the end that the threads 9 cannot be damaged. The irregular form of the said bridging portion prevents the threads shifting along the same.

That is to say, wherever the threads happen to be located in the sewing operation there they will remain.

I claim:

1. In combination with a support to which to attach a button, of a button at one side of the support, and a backing device at the other side, both adapted to be sewn together upon such support, said device comprising a ring portion having a curvilinear bridging portion extending diametrically across it at one side, and at its other side being concave in general form from its outer periphportion throughout its length lying outside the plane of the ring and farthest from the support and serrated on opposite surfaces that face toward said ring portion, said ring portion at its side engaging the support being concave from its periphery inwardly toward its inner edge and having concentric shoulders therein.

3. In combination with a support to which to attach a button, a button at one side of the support, and a backing device at the other side of such support, both adapted to be sewn together upon the latter, said device comprising a ring portion concave at one side to engage the support, the surface of the concave being provided with a series of substantially concentric shoulders.

In combination with a support to which to attach a button, a button at one side of the support, and a backing device at the other side of the support, both ada )tcd to be sewn together upon the latter, said device comprising a ring portion concave at one side to lie against the support, the surface of the concave having a series of concentric shoulders, said ring portion at its other side having a bridging portion lying outside the plane of the ring and serrated at opposite side surfaces.

5. An article of manufacture comprising a stamping of ring form concave at one side,

and having at its opposite side a bridging portion lying outside the plane of the latter and serrated at opposite sides facing the said ring portion.

6. An article of manufacture comprising a ring portion concave at one side and including concentric shoulders on the concave surface, said ring at its other side having a bridging portion arched throughout its length out of the plane of the ring and having opposite surfaces facing the same serrated where said surfaces face said ring.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

MAUDE I. F. KINNEY. 

